10 facts on the global tobacco epidemic
May 2012
WHO/Jim Holmes
Tobacco kills up to half of those who use it. Yet tobacco use is common throughout the world due to low prices, aggressive and widespread marketing, lack of awareness about its dangers, and inconsistent public policies against its use.
Most of tobacco’s damage to health does not become evident until years or even decades after the onset of use. So, while tobacco use is rising globally, the epidemic of tobacco-related disease and death has yet to reach its peak.
This fact file shows how the devastating tobacco epidemic is growing, describes the state of tobacco control worldwide, and explains how this preventable epidemic can be halted with a set of six effective tobacco control policies.
Read more about the tobacco epidemic
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